Combe Martin SAC member Guy Spriggs landed a fine smoothound of 11lb 4oz on his latest visit to the coast.
Estuary bass and river salmon
After hearing of a few bass in the lower estuary I had a short trip as the tide started to flood and caught a couple of small school bass on a surface lure. The wide expanse of the estuary was a sharp contrast to the intimacy of the river Torridge I fished the previous day.
There have a been a couple of salmon caught on the Torridge with fish from middle river beats. The river is now fining down after a small spate and there is every chance of a fish or two over the next few days.
Smoothounds on the coast
http://www.highstreettackle.co.uk
Hounds are about!
Ian Laird landed this fine smoothound of 9lb 10oz during an evening session on the coast. ( Above)
Brad Munden landed this pleasing 4lb 10oz bass from a North Devon Beach.
Varied sport on Real Deal!
Many thanks to Jason Small who allowed me to use these pictures he took whilst fishing from Ilfracombe Charter boat Reel Deal. The party enjoyed a great days varied sport on a very calm day off Combe Martin. The spectacular sea cliffs east of Combe Martin are amongst the highest in the country and provide a fantastic backdrop to a days fishing.
Thin Lip sport in the estuary
Thin lipped mullet have made a welcome return to the Taw and Torridge estuary’s and are providing fine sport for the band of enthusiasts who target the species using baited spinners. Olie Passmore landed the above fish of 3lb 14oz on his latest session on the Lower Taw. John Shapland has also enjoyed success with mullet to 2lb 14oz.
Bull huss on the prowl
Bull huss are on the prowl along the coast as Ali Laird found out when he landed a brace weighing 10lb 1oz and 7lb 13oz.
Rick Blackmore landed a fine bull huss of 13lb 9oz.
Learning the way to tempt more bass
When the rivers are low and salmon and sea trout are hard to find many fly fishers are turning to the the estuary where the silver flanked bass can provide exciting sport on both lure and fly. Nick Hart provides tuition in Fly Fishing in both fresh and saltwater, in rivers and still waters. His latest pictures show some happy anglers making the best of ideal conditions where the estuary meets the sea. Investing in guided fishing can make a huge difference to your catch rates boosting success over many years into the future.
Fine Brace of small eyed ray
Dan Miles Redmore enjoyed a trip up over the border and landed a fine brace of small eyed ray scaling 12lb 4oz and 9lb 14oz.
Latest Sea Reports
Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover
James Atkinson won Appledore shipbuilders monthly Rover with a small eyed ray of 9lb 61/4oz. In second place was Richard Boone with a fine wrasse of 5lb 47/8oz and in third Andy Sanders with a thornback ray of 6lb 5oz.
Bideford Angling Club Monthly Rover
1st Antony smith thornback ray 9lb 5 1/2 103.819%
2nd Antony smith thornback ray 8lb 6 1/2 93.402%
3rd Dick Talbot smoothound 9lb 5 93.125%
4th Andy Sanders thornback ray 6lb 6 70.833%
4th Lee Watts dogfish 2lb 2 70.833%
5th Paul Downing thornback ray 5lb 15 65.972%
As the water starts to warm up wrasse should start to show along the North Devons rock marks. Combe Martin SAC member Ollie Passmore set out after the species and was rewarded with a nice fish of 3lb 6oz.
Bull huss continue to provide sport after dark when Ollie Passmore enjoyed success with a huss of 10lb 11oz. (Below)
Boat anglers are continuing to enjoy boat sport off Ilfracombe with several spurdog to 18lb brought aboard John Barbeary’s boat Bluefin. (Below)
